The invention relates to coin-operated amusement devices which employ rolling balls to activate switches on a playfield. Such games include the familiar pinball game, novelty games such as baseball type games and the like. While such games have been around for many years, in order to stimulate and maintain player interest, it is necessary constantly to revise and improve the playfield features with which the rolling ball interacts. These include ramps, outholes, drop targets and the like.
Regardless of the type of playfield feature, if the motion of the ball is stopped for purposes of the game, it is necessary to put the ball back into play. Traditionally, this has been accomplished through the use of ball ejectors which are merely solenoids positioned on or under the playfield in a manner so as to strike the pinball and thereby to free it from a hole or release it from a confined area. Although these electro-mechanical devices are satisfactory for their intended purpose, it is desirable to provide an improved means to propel the ball on the playfield. The improvement can be both in terms of improved reliability, by the elimination of mechanical parts, and in the sense of improved player appeal.
The present invention achieves both objectives and therefore, is a highly desirable addition to the rolling ball game art. The present invention is capable of providing the function of a typical ball ejector and doing so with no mechanical parts which tend to wear out. In addition, it has a myriad of applications as a playfield feature, which add player interest and therefore popularity to a particular game. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible to provide a ball accelerator which can cause a pinball to be accelerated to a high velocity while traveling on a confined track.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved ball ejector device for freeing a rolling ball from a confined area on a playfield.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a ball accelerator device which can accelerate a rolling ball on a playfield to create added player interest.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforementoned type which has no moving parts which physically interacts with the pinball, thereby to improve the reliability of the device.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the remaining portion of the specification.